Hal Nail

Ditchling Green is in Model Railway Journal issue 50 - worth looking out for on e bay etc.

Wasn't too bad - although I'm not massively looking forward to doing another 3 lots of windows! There are screws all along the bottom edge of the sides holding them to the underframe. The screws down the center line just hold the plastic interior in place so you don't actually need to undo them. Ends are fixed to the sides with a tiny screw at the bottom lug- I didn't spot this until after Id popped them apart (you have to take the seat off the inside of the end to see it). The hardest part is getting the "tail lamp bracket" circuit board out in one piece - I snapped mine trying. Might be safer to snip the wires and reconnect later. The windows are spot stuck so i used a combination of a sharp knife to start and, once I inevitably lost patience, carefully applied brute force! I do like taking things apart though: I should get a job with James May really.

Some sort of wood paneling colour (maybe applied over a black base)? When repainting the seats to tone them down a fraction, I didn't find it easy to get paint coverage but I was going to disable the lighting anyway on mine - I might use it on my bike as i'm pretty sure its brighter than my expensive fog lights!

Yes it's an E140 from the Bodmin pair - variants on the same theme though!

Thanks - I've got that book but had no recollection of all the interior shots!

Having looked at a few photos it seems it was always scorching in that era so I thought i'd have a go at opening a few windows. Before I fix them in place it would be helpful if someone could tell me were they held in position by straps - in which case I need to take care to line them up rather than have them all at completely random heights.

I've started weathering my Dapol/Lionheart B set.

Anything in particular? Always useful to hear others’ experiences of these things...

Is it just me or does that look like it’s about to sling the unfortunate beast into orbit?

Hi, looking forward to following this. In respect of the comment above about O gauge absorbing space, I always think it doesn’t help when model layouts invariably run in straight lines, often parallel to straight edged baseboards. Skewing the plan as you have done may help the illusion - could you also perhaps introduce a gentle curve through the platform (St Ives style)?

If anyone can confirm if 7715 (St Blazey) had received the later totem by c59/60 I’d be grateful. I suspect not but in all the photos I’ve seen it is impossible to tell.

Under Small suppliers, the Lionheart rtr o gauge thread about 1 page back covers this. Don’t know how to add a link using my mobile!

Now we are talking. Put me down for one!

Once you’ve got the hang of it will you be mass producing clay hoods?

Did these ever run as singles? I’ve only ever seen pairs of that diagram. Rule 1 notwithstanding of course...

Very good, thanks. Sods law having trawled through my books, the St Blazey locos I’ve seen were riveted (albeit somewhere under an inch of grime) so will have to wait a little longer.

Thanks i’ll try boiling them - they are staying resolutely dark blue and look ridiculous!

Very nice. Now how about some of the new 57xx please?! By the way, did drivers overalls all start navy and fade or were some paler to start with?

You sold them to me! Still haven’t got round to using them but am still intending to one day.

Worth trying exhibitions. A stand (pretty sure it was PR Model Railway Products) was selling them off at under £400 at Reading Trade Show today.

Just relaying info! Dapol, particularly post Lionheart merger, have been bringing out some good stuff. That said, there are also surplus kits around secondhand at good prices now so everyone wins really.

Curved in the photo.

Just noticed there is a photo of the EP on Dapol’s home page banner now.

I did read, or hear, somewhere that the side tanks were originally die cast so it’s not quite Grandpa’s axe! Interesting that it is obviously cheaper to effectively start again and I assume reflects the rising costs of overseas brass production. Masterpiece have had to put their prices up significantly.

Agree although very difficult to tell from photos when you have no idea what distortion the camera has produced. The front on shot looks slightly more refined, the 3/4 view makes it look like it has been eating a lot of pies since we last saw it!